DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 06/07/2024, 03/14/2025, and 11/07/2025 is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yang (CN110513254A).
Claim 17
Yang teaches: An energy collection method based on earth atmosphere energy storage (energy storage in atmospheric space in energy storage unit, see. para. 84), comprising the following steps:
S1: enabling external energy (500, see para. 114) to act on a transmission part (110) once or repeatedly to drive a sealed end (ends of 234) of the transmission part (110) to move in a first direction (as illustrated by Fig. 10) to expand a sealed space (235) between the sealed end (ends of 234) and an energy storage housing (233) carrying the sealed end (ends of 234), and a locking assembly (comprised of 110, 232, and 400) on the transmission part (110) stops the sealed end (ends of 234) from moving in a second direction (as illustrated in Fig. 9), wherein the sealed space (235) is a negative pressure space, and the first direction is opposite to the second direction; and
S2: when the locking assembly (comprised of 110, 232, and 400) is unlocked, enabling the sealed end (ends of 234) to move in the second direction (as illustrated in Fig. 9) under an action of earth atmosphere.
Claim 18/17
Yang teaches: The energy collection method according to claim 17, wherein the sealed end (ends of 234) is movable between a first position (when 235 is compressed, ex. fig. 9) and a second position (when 235 is decompressed, ex. fig. 10) in the energy storage housing (233), and a direction of motion from the first position (when 235 is compressed, ex. fig. 9) to the second position (when 235 is decompressed, ex. fig. 10) is the first direction, wherein
when the sealed end (ends of 234) is located between the first position (when 235 is compressed, ex. fig. 9) and the second position (when 235 is decompressed, ex. fig. 10), S1 and S2 are performed sequentially or alternately;
when the sealed end (ends of 234) is located in the first position (when 235 is compressed, ex. fig. 9), S1 and S2 are performed sequentially; and
when the sealed end (ends of 234) is located in the second position (when 235 is decompressed, ex. fig. 10), S2 is performed first and then S1 is performed (as indicated by Figs. 9 and 10).
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-5, 8-16, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang.
Claim 1
Yang teaches: An energy collection system (200) based on earth atmosphere energy storage (energy storage in atmospheric space in energy storage unit, see. para. 84), comprising:
an energy storage housing (233) providing a carrier (cavity provided by 203) for energy storage;
a transmission part (110) having a sealed end (ends of 234), wherein the sealed end (ends of 234) is movably arranged inside or outside the energy storage housing (233), and a sealed space (235) is formed between the sealed end (ends of 234) and the energy storage housing (233);
a power source (500) configured to drive the sealed end (ends of 234) to move from a first position (when 235 is compressed, ex. fig. 9) to a second position (when 235 is decompressed, ex. fig. 10) of the energy storage housing (233) and to form a vacuum inside the sealed space (235); and
a locking assembly (comprised of 110, 232, and 400) enabling the transmission part (110) to have a locking state (when restraint unit 400 is engaged, see para. 122-124) and an unlocking state (when restraint unit 400 is disengaged, see para. 122-124), wherein when the transmission part (110) is in the unlocking state (when restraint unit 400 is disengaged, see para. 122-124), the sealed end (ends of 234) is movable in a direction from the second position (when 235 is decompressed, ex. fig. 10) to the first position (when 235 is compressed, ex. fig. 9) under an action of earth atmosphere to release negative pressure energy in the sealed space (235), and an action of the locking assembly (comprised of 110, 232, and 400) is performed in one of the following manners:
manual control (via pneumatic on-off valve, see. para. 116);
program control (control unit 300);
Yang also discloses that the system uses self-locking or automatic locking based on the conditional information provided by relative movement trend between transmission rod 110 and the restraining body 420, and can controllably store or release energy from the power source 500 (see. Para. 126).
Yang does not explicitly state the following disclosure:
wherein a program is set to operate the locking assembly in a continuous or discontinuous state at a preset time point or in a preset time period, or operate the locking assembly based on conditional information; and combination of the manual control with the program control.
Program operating the locking assembly
Yang discloses controlling restraint unit 400 to release energy. Because the restraint unit 400 forms part of the locking assembly (comprised of 110, 232, and 400), controlling the restraint unit necessarily constitutes operating the locking assembly. Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) during the time of the claimed invention to have a program set to operate the locking assembly. A PHOSITA would have understood that such control in the art of the claimed invention is implemented by a controller/control unit executing programmed instructions. Yang’s disclosure of controlled release and continuous storage (para. 112) inherently requires logic-based control. Implementing such control via “a program” represents nothing more than a conventional software implementation of disclosed system control.
Continuous or discontinuous state at preset time point or in a preset time period
In para. 112, Yang teaches the realization of continuous storage from power source 500. Continuous storage necessarily implies maintaining the locking assembly in a given state over time. Conversely, energy release requires a change of state. Thus, Yang’s locking assembly (comprised of 110, 232, and 400) is capable of operating continuously (maintained state), and discontinuously (state transitions for release/storage cycles). As for the operation “as a preset time point or in a preset time period” clause, any programmable control that activates or deactivates Yang’s restraint unit 400 inherently does so at some time and for some duration. The time restraint clause does not provide a specific timing structure or algorithm. Thus, it would have been obvious to a PHOSITA to operate the locking assembly in a continuous or discontinuous state at a preset time point or in a preset time period. Implementing timed control of Yang’s restraint unit 400 to regulate energy storage/release cycles promotes efficiency, coordination with demand, and may promote component longevity. Furthermore, timed activation and deactivation for actuators is a well-known, routine control feature.
Operation based on conditional information
The claim does not define “conditional information” thus under the broadest reasonable interpretation (BRI), this encompasses any information reflecting a system condition. Because Yang teaches the controlled release of energy with the locking assembly, the system must necessarily determine when release is appropriate based on set conditions. Control of energy release in such systems is inherently based on the system’s state or operational conditions. It would have been obvious to a PHOSITA to have operated the locking assembly based on conditional information. Conditional control is fundamental in energy systems.
Combination of manual and program control
Providing both automated control and manual control is a common safety and operational feature in electromechanical systems. It would have been obvious to a PHOSITA to have the combination of the manual control with the program control. More specifically, it would have been obvious to include manual override functionality in Yang’s system to allow user intervention for safety, maintenance, or operational flexibility. Such a modification would merely involve providing a manual input to override or supplement programmed control.
Claim 2/1
The energy collection system according to claim 1, wherein the power source (500) is in one or more forms of wind energy, solar energy, chemical energy, thermal energy, electrical energy, radiant energy, nuclear energy, kinetic energy, potential energy, biological energy, tidal energy, magnetic and electromagnetic energy, and physical phase change energy (see various energy forms disclosed in Yang’s para. 112).
Claim 3/1
The energy collection system according to claim 1, wherein the transmission part has an output end (end near 111); and the sealed end (end near 235) is pushed or/and pulled to move from the first position (when 235 is compressed, ex. fig. 9) to the second position (when 235 is decompressed, ex. fig. 10).
Claim 4/3/1
The energy collection system according to claim 3, wherein the output end (end near 111) extends outside the energy storage housing (233) or is located inside the energy storage housing (233).
Claim 5/1
The energy collection system according to claim 1, wherein a vacuum environment in the sealed space (235) is formed by motion of the sealed end (end of 234) and/or vacuumizing.
Claim 8/1
The energy collection system according to claim 1, wherein the locking assembly (comprised of 110, 232, and 400) is in one form of buckle locking, hole and pin type locking, electromagnetic force locking, thermal expansion locking, structural interference locking, ratchet mechanism locking, pneumatic and hydraulic locking (pneumatic, para. 116), gluing locking, reaction force locking, and welding locking.
Claim 9/8/1
The energy collection system according to claim 8, wherein when the transmission part (110) is in the locking state or the unlocking state, the transmission part (110) is allowed to move in a direction from the first position (when 235 is compressed, ex. fig. 9) to the second position (when 235 is decompressed, ex. fig. 10).
Claim 10/8/1
The energy collection system according to claim 8, wherein a conical space (formed by 232 as illustrated in Fig. 10) is formed in the energy storage housing (233) and has a first opening end (end closest to 231) facing the sealed space (235);
Yang’s energy collection system according to claim 1 is silent to:
the locking assembly comprises a trigger body, a locking support member, and a potential energy storage part; the potential energy storage part has a first end connected to the energy storage housing and arranged at a second opening end of the conical space, and a second end connected to the locking support member, the first opening end is smaller than the second opening end, the transmission part penetrates through the conical space, and the locking support member and the potential energy storage part are both arranged along a circumferential direction of the transmission part; when the trigger body is operated, the locking support member is configured to be driven to move towards the second opening end to make the transmission part in the unlocking state; and when the trigger body is not operated, the potential energy storage part is configured to drive the locking support member to move towards the first opening end under an action of an elastic force of the potential energy storage part to make the transmission part in the locking state.
Yang does however disclose an alternative embodiment of the energy collection system of claim 1 as illustrated in Yang’s fig. 4 wherein the locking assembly (comprised of 110, 232, and 400) comprises a trigger body (313), a locking support member (410), and a potential energy storage part (221);
the potential energy storage part (221) has a first end (rightmost end) connected to the energy storage housing (233) and arranged at a second opening end of the conical space (formed by 232 as illustrated in Fig. 10), and a second end connected to the locking support member (410), the first opening end is smaller than the second opening end, the transmission part (110) penetrates through the conical space (formed by 232 as illustrated in Fig. 10), and the locking support member (410) and the potential energy storage part (221) are both arranged along a circumferential direction of the transmission part (110);
when the trigger body (313) is operated, the locking support member (410) is configured to be driven to move towards the second opening end to make the transmission part (110) in the unlocking state (when restraint unit 400 is disengaged, see para. 122-124); and when the trigger body (313) is not operated, the potential energy storage part (221) is configured to drive the locking support member (410) to move towards the first opening end under an action of an elastic force of the potential energy storage part (221) to make the transmission part (110) in the locking state (when restraint unit 400 is engaged, see para. 122-124) .
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With this embodiment of Yang’s energy collection system in mind it would have been obvious for a PHOSITA to have the locking assembly comprises a trigger body, a locking support member, and a potential energy storage part; the potential energy storage part has a first end connected to the energy storage housing and arranged at a second opening end of the conical space, and a second end connected to the locking support member, the first opening end is smaller than the second opening end, the transmission part penetrates through the conical space, and the locking support member and the potential energy storage part are both arranged along a circumferential direction of the transmission part; when the trigger body is operated, the locking support member is configured to be driven to move towards the second opening end to make the transmission part in the unlocking state; and when the trigger body is not operated, the potential energy storage part is configured to drive the locking support member to move towards the first opening end under an action of an elastic force of the potential energy storage part to make the transmission part in the locking state. Such a modification would be advantageous to implement into Yang’s energy collection system of claim 1 as the device can be controlled more stable during storage of energy or during the release process to meet energy conversion needs of practical application (para. 114).
Claim 11/10/8/1
The energy collection system according to claim 10, wherein the transmission part (110) has a third state (uniform motion between locking and unlocking state) between the locking state (when restraint unit 400 is engaged, see para. 122-124) and the unlocking state (when restraint unit 400 is disengaged, see para. 122-124), and in the third state, the transmission part (110) keeps on uniform, accelerated, or decelerated motion during a process of releasing the negative pressure energy (para. 122-124).
Claim 12/1
The energy collection system according to claim 1, wherein the power source (500) comprises any one of the following structural combination forms:
a fluid transfer pump (the fluid of air pumped by conversion unit 100) configured to perform vacuumizing and fluid (air) filling on the sealed space (235);
the fluid transport pump (the fluid of air pumped by conversion unit 100) and an electric motor (311), wherein the fluid transport pump (the fluid of air pumped by conversion unit 100) is configured to perform vacuumizing, and the electric motor (311) is configured to be driven by the transmission part (110) to generate power;
the fluid transport pump (the fluid of air pumped by conversion unit 100) configured to perform vacuumizing; and
the electric motor (311) configured to drive the sealed end (end of 234) to move from the first position (when 235 is compressed, ex. fig. 9) to the second position (when 235 is decompressed, ex. fig. 10), and having a power generation function (performed by 600), or the electric motor (311) only having the power generation function (performed by 600).
Claim 13/12/1
The energy collection system according to claim 12;
Yang’s energy collection system of claim 1 is silent to: wherein a first spring is disposed in the sealed space, the first spring has a first end connected to the sealed end and a second end connected to the energy storage housing, and the first spring is always in a compressed state.
Yang does however teach an alternative embodiment of the energy collecting system of claim 1, wherein a first spring (221) is disposed in the sealed space (235), the first spring (221) has a first end connected to the sealed end (end of 234) and a second end connected to the energy storage housing (233), and the first spring (221) is always in a compressed state (as depicted in Fig. 3 where at systems rest, spring 221 is still compressed).
It would have been obvious to a PHOSITA to have the energy collection system according to claim 12, wherein a first spring is disposed in the sealed space, the first spring has a first end connected to the sealed end and a second end connected to the energy storage housing, and the first spring is always in a compressed state. Such a modification would be advantageous to implement into Yang’s energy collection system of claim 1 as the device can be controlled more stable during storage of energy or during the release process to meet energy conversion needs of practical application (para. 114).
Claim 14/1
The energy collection system according to claim 1, comprising a control mechanism (control unit 300), wherein the control mechanism (300) is in signal connection with the power source (500) and the locking assembly (comprised of 110, 232, and 400) to release or supplement the negative pressure energy in a set manner.
Claim 15/1
An energy storage apparatus (200) of the embodiment of claim 1, however this embodiment is silent to: comprising a plurality of energy collection systems based on earth atmosphere energy storage according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of energy collection systems are arranged in series or in parallel.
Yang does however disclose an alternative embodiment of the energy collection system of claim 1 as illustrated in Fig. 11, comprising a plurality of energy collection systems based on earth atmosphere energy storage according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of energy collection systems are arranged in series or in parallel.
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It therefore would have been obvious to a PHOSITA to modify the energy storage apparatus (200) of the embodiment of claim 1 such that it comprises a plurality of energy collection systems based on earth atmosphere energy storage according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of energy collection systems are arranged in series or in parallel. Modifying the energy storage apparatus to comprise of plural systems would be advantageous in promoting the larger storage of energy and power generation for more demanding devices (para. 122-124).
Claim 16/15/1
The energy storage apparatus according to claim 15, wherein different energy collection systems based on earth atmosphere energy storage are implemented in one or more of the following forms:
respective transmission parts (110) have the same, partially identical, or totally different heights and/or orientations;
the respective transmission parts (110) have the same, partially identical, or totally different structures;
the respective transmission parts (110) have the same, partially identical, or totally different states, and the states are positional states of the transmission parts (110) between a first position (when 235 is compressed, ex. fig. 9) and a second position (when 235 is decompressed, ex. fig. 10);
respective locking assemblies (comprised of plural 110, 232, and 400) have the same, partially identical, or totally different structures; and
respective power sources (500 of each system) are in the same, partially identical, or totally different forms.
Claim 19/15/1
The energy storage apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the power source (500) is in one or more forms of wind energy, solar energy, chemical energy, thermal energy, electrical energy, radiant energy, nuclear energy, kinetic energy, potential energy, biological energy, tidal energy, magnetic and electromagnetic energy, and physical phase change energy (see various energy forms disclosed in Yang’s para. 112).
Claim 20/15/1
The energy storage apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the transmission part has an output end (end near 111); and the sealed end (end near 235) is pushed or/and pulled to move from the first position (when 235 is compressed, ex. fig. 9) to the second position (when 235 is decompressed, ex. fig. 10).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 6/1
Claim 6 is allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
As for claim 6, Yang teaches: The energy collection system according to claim 1, wherein the sealed end (end of 234) along the direction from the second position (when 235 is decompressed, ex. fig. 10) to the first position (when 235 is compressed, ex. fig. 9);
Yang also teaches an alternative embodiment of the energy collection system according to claim 1 comprising a first piston body (127), and second piston bodies (128), the first piston body (127) and the second piston bodies (128) are sequentially sleeved on the transmission part (110) at intervals and matched with the energy storage housing (233);
The prior art fails to teach or fairly suggest, alone or in obvious combination, inter alia:
first piston bodies, second piston bodies, and flexible bodies arranged between the first piston bodies and the second piston bodies, the first piston bodies and the second piston bodies are sequentially sleeved on the transmission part at intervals and matched with the energy storage housing, and when the sealed space is in a negative pressure state, parts of the flexible bodies are squeezed into gaps between the second piston bodies and the energy storage housing under an action of an atmospheric pressure to seal the sealed space.
Claim 7 stands allowed over all prior art based on their virtue of depending on claim 6.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AHMED F SECK whose telephone number is (571)272-4638. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 4:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher Koehler can be reached at (571) 272-3560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AHMED F SECK/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/CHRISTOPHER M KOEHLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834